CHAPTER 591: TRAITOR

The car hummed softly as they sped down the empty road, the night wrapped around them like a thick blanket. Inside, the atmosphere was relaxed with the twins sitting in the back.

Xiang Yu sat in the front seat leaning against the window. Han Xin glanced over and said, "If you want to sleep, you can, or we can pull over and set up a campsite."

Xiang Yu turned his head to look at him and said, "I can take a rest now. Wake me up in two hours so I can take over after you," before placing his hand on Han Xin’s thigh.

Han Xin touched the hand on his thigh, rubbing it before squeezing it gently. "Okay, it’s a bit chilly. Do you want my jacket?"

Just as Xiang Yu was about to answer, a certain device that had been silent all this time, suddenly dinged.

He reached into his satchel and pulled out the device. His eyes flicked to the screen, and a sneer curled his lips. The words glowed ominously: "High alert. Targets moving."

Han Xin, behind the wheel, sensed the shift instantly. His grip tightened on the steering wheel. He glanced over at Xiang Yu, eyes questioning. "What’s wrong?" he asked, his voice low but tense.

Xiang Yu’s smile was cold. "The prices on our heads have gone up," he said, his voice smooth. "They know where we’re meeting."

Han Xin clenched his jaw, the muscles tight. His mind raced. After all the attacks that had crippled their enemies’ cities, he had expected retaliation. But not so soon. Not this fast.

Lian, sitting behind them, was twisting a Rubik’s cube she had snatched from some unknown place. Her fingers moved quickly, eyes unfocused. She looked up at the others and asked, "How do they know where we are meeting?"

Mei, sitting quietly, was braiding her long hair, her fingers deft and steady. She looked at Xiang Yu, lips pressed together. "Yeah, I wonder too."

Xiang Yu leaned back, eyes narrowing. "It seems a rat is on the loose," he said softly, almost to himself.

Han Xin reached out, gently rubbing Xiang Yu’s earlobe. The touch made Xiang Yu twitch, feeling an itch, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he looked at Han Xin and smirked, a flicker of warmth in his cold gaze.

Without a word, Xiang Yu pulled out his phone and dialled a number. The line connected quickly. "Su Jing," he said, voice steady.

***

Su Jing’s team hurried through the narrow streets, shadows slipping past them like whispers. The city was alive with chaos, the clang of collapsing buildings and distant sirens echoing in the night.

Her heart hammered in her chest, heavy with worry. As they drove, her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. She glanced at the screen. An incoming call. Her jaw tightened.

She gritted her teeth, feeling the weight of failure pressing down on her. She hadn’t yet told Xiang Yu that Da Hei had slipped away. Not a word. She didn’t know how to start.

The shame burned inside her. Once again, he had failed in front of him. The embarrassment stung worse than any punch. It had happened so many times already, and she was tired of it.

She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and answered.

Xiang Yu’s voice cut through immediately, sharp and cold. "You lost him, didn’t you?"

Su Jing’s jaw clenched so tightly her teeth almost cracked. She wanted to defend herself, to say something, anything, but the words stuck in her throat. Instead, she just gritted her teeth harder.

Not only had she lost Da Hei but that brat had actually stolen their vehicle. They delayed leaving the city because they had to improvise and steal another car.

Xiang Yu didn’t wait for her to reply. His tone was firm and commanding. "Change the meeting point. Find a new location. I’ll send it to everyone."

Su Jing’s mind spun. She wanted to say something, to make an excuse, to explain but Xiang Yu didn’t give her another chance. "Does he have a satellite phone?" he asked, his voice icy.

For a moment, Su Jing was startled. Her focus had been on fleeing that she hadn’t checked.

Their team carried two satellite phones. Su Jing had one, tucked into her pocket. The other was with Ah Tong, sitting behind her. As they drove through the chaos, she turned her head back and asked, "Where is the other phone?"

Ah Tong opened a small bag, revealing backup phones and power banks. His brows furrowed as he searched inside. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "The pouch is missing," he said, voice tense.

Her heart sank. Panic flickered in Ah Tong’s eyes. Xiang Yu could hear the chaos on the other side of the line; distant shouts, sirens, the crackle of interference. He demanded, "What’s the serial number?"

Su Jing swore softly under her breath. Her fingers fumbled as she began to call out the numbers, voice trembling. Ah Tong hurriedly began to read them aloud, voice hurried and shaky.

Xiang Yu punched in the numbers on his own device. His face remained calm, but his mind raced. The fact that Da Hei had that phone meant he could intercept their messages. He could send their coordinates, their plans, straight to whoever Da Hei was working for.

Su Jing opened her mouth to explain, to say something to justify herself. But before she could, the call suddenly cut out with a sharp beeping tone. Silence fell over the line.

She cursed softly, almost throwing her phone. Her hand trembled, but she clenched her fist and restrained herself. The frustration burned inside her.

They had enough satellite phones from the bunker’s stash in the city. But supplies weren’t endless. Su Jing knew she couldn’t break the satellite phones easily. They had to be used carefully.

Xiang Yu finished deactivating the phone in Da Hei’s hands. He sent out a message. It was a new meeting point, and a warning to watch their backs. The words flickered on the screen, clear and urgent.

***

Meanwhile, Da Hei was driving fast toward the meeting point. His focus was on the vibrating phone in his hand. He checked the screen. It was blank. No signal, no life.

His eyes widened. Without thinking, he slammed on the brakes hard. The screech of tires shredded the quiet. He pressed the button on the phone, expecting it to turn on. But the screen stayed dead.

Confusion clouded his face. He was sure he had just checked the battery. He pulled at the charging port in the car, connecting the phone to the power. He pressed the reboot button again and again. Still nothing.

His mind snapped. Fury burst from him. He struck the steering wheel several times, screaming in anger. The car rocked with each blow. His chest heaved, breath ragged.

When his tantrum finally subsided, he sat back, eyes wild and breathing heavily. His fists clenched tightly. He didn’t understand what had gone wrong.

Da Hei was meant to be a sleeper spy inside the Erimites’ territory. He was hidden, unnoticed, doing whatever he was told. Quietly, he watched, waited, and acted.

But now, with the phone dead and his plans in chaos. When his handler arrives at the original meeting and finds no one, he would surely get punished.